Sharif-Xi jinping Courtesy:
14 May 2015

OBOR and India’s security concerns

While China will seek India’s cooperation on its ambitious ‘One Belt, One Road’ project during Prime Minister Modi’s visit this week, Indian policy makers must soon articulate a definite stand on this transnational corridor by bridging the country’s security concerns and the benefits of such an engagement with China.

XiJinping--621x414 Courtesy: Xinhua
12 May 2015

Xi to Modi: “Here’s my shopping list”

With a massive, yet demanding middle class, the Chinese Communist Party needs a reliable source of cheap labor to continue to allow Chinese nationals to enjoy mass-produced daily products. step forward India, mass producer.

Policy Perspectives
Tejas 2 Courtesy: Wikipedia
12 May 2015

Defence and India’s private sector

Rapidly evolving security threats in India's neighbourhood and a number of accidents means it is critical for India to invest in the modernisation as well as the indigenisation of India's rapidly obsolescing defence equipment. This policy perspective provides recommendations on what role Indian private sector can play in the modernisation of India's defence sector

UK elections Courtesy: Getty images
6 May 2015

UK elections: the Scottish conundrum

In the exceptionally divisive general election on May 7 in the UK, no party is expected to win a majority. Smaller parties like the SNP are fragmenting votes and another coalition may emerge, or the Conservatives-Liberal Democrats or Labour may seek outside support. With the Scotland issue adding to the divisiveness, the post-poll scenario is precarious

Uber China Courtesy: Review Journal, Xinhua
30 April 2015

Can Uber in China counter local e-taxis?

Although Uber has a $41billion global valuation, over 99% of the taxi app market in China is controlled by local competitors offering personalised services, informal networks, and a familiarity with regulations that Uber cannot match. In such a scenario, can Uber live up to its valuation? And will local entities eventually also have an advantage in the crowd-sourced trucking and waterways sectors?

17111184050_a38f69f6cb_z Courtesy: MEA/Flickr
29 April 2015

Ghani and India: circles of separation

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani visited India from April 27-29. Ghani accords a very different priority to India than his predecessors – both the timing and the outcome of his visit reflected this. He is choosing to play to Pakistan, by keeping India out of Afghanistan's security sector

Ghani-Sharif Courtesy: Arya News
29 April 2015

India’s game of patience with Afghanistan

Afghanistan president Ghani has placed his eggs in the Pakistani basket and is waiting to see whether its actions match the plentiful words. However, New Delhi knows it enjoys a depth of support in Afghan society and can bide its time while Ghani tests the waters, as he will likely reach the same conclusions as most others

Crews (from museums archive) Courtesy: Turkish Museum archive
27 April 2015

Ottoman ship Ertugrul’s Bombay linkages

The Turkish naval ship TCG Gediz was in Mumbai recently, retracing the Ottoman frigate Ertuğrul’s 126-year-old voyage, when it stopped here while on its way from Istanbul to Yokohoma. To commemorate this anniversary, the Consulate of Turkey in Mumbai and Gateway House jointly hosted a lecture by Sifra Lentin on the significance of this historic passage

aiib Courtesy: file photo/Xinhua, Wikipedia
23 April 2015

An ASEAN lens on the AIIB

The AIIB is a step along a path that started with the Asian financial crisis, which defined ASEAN’s views about the U.S.’s commitment to the region. Although the bank may signal the rise of China, it is also a coming together of Chinese and ASEAN goals—ASEAN’s focus on infrastructure for growth requires another source of finance, and this forecasts its strong relationship with the AIIB